The invention is directed to a ball separating device, for segregating at least one ball from a plurality of other balls, for example, for segregating the cue ball with respect to a plurality of numbered playing balls.
In coin-operated pool tables and the like, a numbered ball when received in one of the pockets is conducted to a ball-retaining container or the like whereby they are not accessible to the player or players using the table so that upon completion of a game with all of the balls pocketed, an additional coin must be deposited to release the balls for further play. However, as the cue ball may also be pocketed, i.e. a scratch shot, in the middle of the game, whereby such cue ball is necessary to complete the game, some provision must be made to insure the return of the cue ball to the players instead of deposition in the ball-retaining container with the numbered balls. Suitable means must therefore be employed to differentiate between the cue ball and the other balls, whereby the cue ball when pocketed will be returned to the player but the numbered balls will be deposited in the container therefor.
Two basic concepts immediately present themselves, either there must be a difference in size between the cue ball and the other balls sufficient to enable determination and segregation thereof or the construction of the cue ball must be different from the other balls to enable segregation to be made on the basis of the differences in construction.
For example, the cue ball may be provided with metallic or magnetic means whereby a suitable selection can be made employing a magnetic field or the like. Such a construction, for example, is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,655 in which the cue ball is provided with imbedded loops of magnetic material with the ball being magnetically guided along a different path than the numbered balls.
This type of separation has the important disadvantage that the specially constructed cue balls are costly, approximately three to four times the ordinary ball. As the most expensive ball, the cue ball, is the one ball which is not retained, following pocketing, it is readily capable of being appropriated with attendant high replacement cost.
An example of a separating structure, utilizing difference in size between the cue ball and the numbered balls, is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,096,981 in which the balls are conducted down an incline over which extends a deflector member positioned at a height to permit the smaller balls to pass beneath the same but engageable with the larger cue ball to deflect the same laterally. It will be apparent that to provide a substantially fool-proof operation, an abutment type of separation requires a sufficiently great difference between the size of the numbered balls and the size of the cue ball to insure adequate separation under all conditions and with balls having a size within a reasonable tolerance. It is customary, in separating devices utilizing a size difference such as the above example, to employ a cue ball which is 1/8 of an inch oversized. While the utilization of separation based on size provides a simple construction, as well enabling the use of an inexpensive cue ball of standard construction, i.e. without additional inserts, etc., the disadvantage exists that the increased size of the cue ball is readily apparent and thus differentiates the game from a standard game employing cue and numbered balls of the same size and consequently has a detracting influence on use of the coin-operated table.
It will be appreciated that in the conduction of balls of the type involved, normally constructed of a suitable plastic, the balls are subject to wear, particularly if the wearing points are relatively concentrated as they would be where a spin is imparted to the ball, i.e. rotary motion of the ball about the substantially vertical axis as distinguished from rolling motion of the ball about a substantially horizontal axis. Consequently, wherever possible it is preferable to insure rolling movement and minimize spinning movement. It will be appreciated that with abutment type of separating structures, such as illustrated in the second of the two patents referred to, the large ball, while moving down an incline under the action of gravity strikes a transversely extending abutment whereby the rolling motion of the ball is abruptly terminated by impact and the ball then proceeds in the transverse direction with a spinning movement, substantially on the vertical axis due to its engagement with the abutment, with substantially all travel taking place with a spinning movement. Consequently, balls employed with this type of separating device generally tend to show excessive wear over a period of time.